Abstract
Teaching physics to first-year university students (in the USA: junior/senior level) is oftenhampered by their lack of skills in the underlying mathematics, and that in turn may blocktheir understanding of the physics and their ability to solve problems. Examples arevector algebra, differential expressions and multi-dimensional integrations, and theGauss and Ampère laws learnt in electromagnetism courses. To enhance thoseskills in a quick and efficient way we have developed ‘Integrating Mathematics inUniversity Physics’, in which students are provided with a selection of problems(exercises) that explicitly deal with the relation between physics and mathematics.The project is based on computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and available via the Internet (http://tnweb.tn.utwente.nl/onderwijs/; or http://www.utwente.nl/; search or click to:CONECT). Normally, in CAI a predefined student-guiding sequence for problem solving is used(systematic problem solving). For self-learning this approach was found to be far too rigid.Therefore, we developed the ‘adventurous problem solving’ (APS) method. Inthis new approach, the student has to find the solution by developing his ownproblem-solving strategy in an interactive way. The assessment of mathematical answersto physical questions is performed using a background link with an algebraicsymbolic language interpreter. This manuscript concentrates on the subject of APS.
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